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Loaded Chicken Salad

Serve this Loaded Chicken Salad in a pita or wrapped in lettuce, and you have a meal perfect for lunch or a picnic outing. Start by cooking the chicken in the slow cooker (be sure to use the bones for homemade chicken stock!), and then mix everything together for a tasty, easy to serve lunch.

Prep Time
20 mins
Additional Time
4 hrs
Total Time
20 mins
Servings: 8
Course: Salad , Lunch
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • 4 1/2 pound whole chicken I used organic chicken, cooked (see instructions below)
  • 3/4 cup mayonnaise I like "cleaner" brands such as Chosen Foods or Primal Kitchen
  • 3/4 cup Chopped Pecans lightly toasted
  • 1 apple cored and diced. I like honeycrisp or gala (red delicious will brown too quickly)
  • 1 cup red grapes diced
  • 2 talks celery trimmed and cut into small dice or slices
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • salt to taste
  • pepper to taste
For serving
  • havarti cheese or cheddar
  • lettuce
  • 8 whole-wheat pitas

Instructions

To cook the chicken
    Cup of Yum
  1. Cook the chicken in the slow cooker according to directions for "The Best Whole Chicken in the Crock Pot" recipe as follows: Cut an onion in half and place it in the bottom of the slow cooker. Combine 2 teaspoons paprika, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 1⁄2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1⁄4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, and 1⁄4 teaspoon ground black pepper in a small bowl. Rub the spice mixture all over the chicken and place on top of the onion. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours, until the chicken is falling off the bone.
To make the chicken salad
  1. Shred the chicken with a fork and add it to a large mixing bowl. (Don't forget to save the skin and bones to make Overnight Chicken Stock in your slow cooker!)
  2. Mix in the mayo, pecans, apple, grapes, celery, garlic powder, salt, and pepper until well combined. If you don't use the recommended seasoned chicken for this recipe then you may need to add more spices for better flavor.
  3. We like to toast whole-wheat pitas in a pan with a little butter and then add the chicken salad along with a slice of havarti or cheddar cheese and some big crunchy pieces of lettuce. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

  • We recommend organic ingredients when feasible.
  • Serve wrapped in lettuce, instead of whole-wheat pita, to make this recipe gluten-free.
  • Nutrition Facts Loaded Chicken Salad Amount Per Serving Calories 560 Calories from Fat 288 % Daily Value* Fat 32g49%Saturated Fat 10g63%Cholesterol 83mg28%Sodium 683mg30%Potassium 487mg14%Carbohydrates 44g15%Fiber 7g29%Sugar 8g9%Protein 28g56% Vitamin A 747IU15%Vitamin C 5mg6%Calcium 214mg21%Iron 3mg17% * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
  • Calories 560
  • Calories from Fat 288
  • % Daily Value*
  • Fat 32g
  • 49%
  • Saturated Fat 10g
  • 63%
  • Cholesterol 83mg
  • 28%
  • Sodium 683mg
  • 30%
  • Potassium 487mg
  • 14%
  • Carbohydrates 44g
  • 15%
  • Fiber 7g
  • 29%
  • Sugar 8g
  • 9%
  • Protein 28g
  • 56%
  • Vitamin A 747IU
  • 15%
  • Vitamin C 5mg
  • 6%
  • Calcium 214mg
  • 21%
  • Iron 3mg
  • 17%